scythes and sickles

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scythes and sickles

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gill_didsbury

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Adelaide. South Austrlia

Posted: Sun Apr 03, 05 11:02 pm Post subject: scythes and sickles
Hi Everyone, I live in Adelaide South Australia. I went to a local market this week end and found a scythe and sickle, both blades are rusty and the wooden handles are dry. Please could some one tell me how to get rid of the rust and make these items usable? Thanks Gill

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 6:26 am Post subject:

How I would clean them would be to gently remove the rust with wire wool - taking great care with the blade! When most of the rusts off I use some oil and wire wool.

For the handle I would apply some linseed oil and leave it to soak in. Depending on how dry the handle is I would make several applications and then remove any surplus oil with a cloth. Ensure the handle is not slippery before using.

This is how I've cleaned tools I use, if they may be worth something I'm not sure how people would restore them to avoid any damage to fine details.

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 11:32 am Post subject:
Lloyd (Madman) say that plunging blades into oak sawdust hones the edge well. Haven't tried it, but I've got an oak to fell sometime soon...

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 11:33 am Post subject:
The Phosphoric Acid in CocaCola is quite useful for rust removal...

gill_didsbury

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Adelaide. South Austrlia

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 2:44 am Post subject: sicles and scythes
Hi Dougal, I know coke used to be good for cleaning pennies. God knows what it does to ya insides!!!!! Gill

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